The iconic theme tune, familiar to many, was altered to the sound of a flatlining heartbeat.
In recent scenes, the longstanding cast member, portrayed by Helen Worth, was rushed to the hospital following a heart attack.
As part of the storyline, the ITV soap opera collaborated with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to raise awareness about heart disease.
“I think I’m having a heart attack.”
For guidance and assistance visit: https://t.co/W35MEI9xnr#Corrie pic.twitter.com/nS89IwSYt6
— Coronation Street (@itvcorrie) October 23, 2024
The popular soap opera also conveyed a strong message to viewers at the conclusion of Sunday’s episode as the credits were interrupted by a note highlighting the charity’s research on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for heart and circulatory diseases.
The message was narrated by BHF ambassador and former Coronation Street actor Kimberly Hart-Simpson who played Nicky Wheatley in the soap.
Gail Platt encounters cardiac arrest ahead of Helen Worth’s Corrie departure
In the episode on Wednesday, Jesse Chadwick, portrayed by John Thomson, noticed Gail breathing irregularly and clutching her arm while searching for a bicycle pump before calling an ambulance that transported her to the hospital.
Gail was in a state of panic and informed paramedics: “I think I’m having a heart attack.”
This development comes after Worth, 73, who has portrayed Platt family matriarch Gail for 50 years, revealed in June that she would be exiting the ITV soap this year following a “major storyline for the Platt family”.
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Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the BHF and consultant cardiologist, stated: “A heart attack can occur on any street, even Coronation Street.
“We’re honored to be a part of British television history by collaborating with ITV and Coronation Street to convey the incredibly important message that heart attacks happen to women too and that supporting the BHF to fund science could save lives.
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“We hope the unexpected sound of a heart monitor flatlining at the end of Sunday’s episode caught people’s attention and served as a reminder that Gail’s departure from the show could have had a very different outcome.”
Simon Daglish, deputy managing director of commercial at ITV, remarked: “Just as Gail’s heart momentarily stopped, we aim to arrest the famous Coronation Street theme tune to showcase the incredible work of the British Heart Foundation.
“We’re very proud to be able to collaborate with important charities and brands to help amplify their message in innovative and creative ways and assist the BHF with their crucial research.”